You swipe the credit card, flights are booked and wait anxiously for the day you will board the flight. Taking a well-earned break especially to another country would seem exciting, but think again. A few days of contemplation and pre-planning would probably save you much money and troubles.
It is very important to set objectives before you make your Sri Lanka travel Plan. One direction could have plenty of rest and relaxation in the comfort of a star class hotel. The other could be staying in guest houses, saving on accommodation costs to experience more of the destination. Things like food, accommodations and travelling costs have a great impact on the overall financing costs of travelling.
Here are some tips to help you along the way:
Know Thy Currency
Google thoroughly and find out how much foreign currency is worth in the country you intend to travel. Also, find out about prices of general goods and services in that country well ahead (not forgetting the taxes!). Before you step away from the airport exchange your home currency for local currency for contingencies. You may have to tip a porter, cab driver or pay for a taxi in local currency. You save by paying in local currency here. Always visit an authorised foreign currency money exchanger like a bank to exchange your home currency to local currency.
Use Public Transportation Options Where Possible
For example, hiring a car from the Colombo airport to Kandy is pretty expensive. The best option is to hire a taxi to Colombo Fort and look for an air-conditioned bus or a train to visit Kandy. There are plenty of them and inexpensive. These are big-time savings even before the start of the vacation. Also, one can rent a motorbike or a scooter to explore the attractions of any tourist hotspots like Mirissa, Galle or Negombo. This is much cheaper than hiring a tuk-tuk for a day or two. If possessing an international driving license it is a lot cheaper to travel the length and breadth of the country on a motorbike.
Communications Costs
When one disembarks at the Colombo airport get a local sim card from any mobile service provider for internet access and calls. This is the cheaper option than using your home country sim in Sri Lanka. Also, there are no (safe and) free WiFi zones everywhere, so it helps to have internet on the go.
Act Like A Local
The more one acts like a local the more one can save on an overseas vacation. Shop at a local market for local produce like fruits and supermarkets for biscuits, water or beer. One has to pay a hefty premium when ordering such items from a hotel or a guest house. There are lots of stuff in the supermarket to consume in order to get the daily required amount of calories. Also, credit cards could be used as a payment option.
Budget Accommodation Options
If one has a trusty backpack, few pieces of luggage then there are plenty of budget hotels in Mirissa. Before one plans a Sri Lanka vacation search for affordable budget accommodations like hostels, guest houses, homestays at any popular tourist resort or town. The key here is to spend less on accommodation and experience more of the beautiful sights on offer.
If lounging away on a wide golden sandy beach is a priority then spending a few days at one of our hotels in Mirissa would do wonders. Here, one could chill all day starting by having breakfast on the beach.
Featured image by Cheri Fernando.
